Inter- and intrarater reliability of Minimal Eating Observation and Nutrition Form – version II (MEONF-II) nurse assessments among hospital inpatients

BACKGROUND: The Minimal Eating Observation and Nutrition form – version II (MEONF – II) is a recently developed nursing nutritional screening tool. However, its inter- and intrarater reliability has not been assessed. METHODS: Inpatients (n = 24; median age, 69 years; 11 women) were assessed by eight nurses (interrater reliability, two nurses scored each patient independently) using the MEONF-II on two consecutive days (intrarater reliability, each patient was scored by the same nurse day 1 and day 2). RESULTS: Six patients were at moderate/high undernutrition risk. Inter- and intrarater reliabilities (Gwet’s agreement coefficient) for the MEONF-II 2-category classification (no/low risk versus moderate/high risk) were 0.93 and 0.81; for the 3-category classification (no/low – moderate – high risk) reliabilities (Gwet’s weighted agreement coefficient) were 0.98 and 0.88; and total score inter- and intrarater reliabilities (intraclass correlation) were 0.92 and 0.84. CONCLUSION: Reliability of MEONF-II nurse assessments among adult hospital inpatients was supported and the tool can be used in research and clinical practice.